Book 2 in the Cassandra Palmer Series....

In my quest to finish off (or at least catch up) with some of the numerous serieses I have started, I picked up Claimed by Shadow by Karen Chance (374 pgs, ROC, 2007) which is Book 2 in the Cassandra Palmer series.

Any day that starts off in a demon-filled bar that is designed to look like Hell isn't likely to turn out well. But all I thought at the time was that a brothel should be more fun -- especially one that was for ladies only staffed by handsome incubi.

Cassie Palmer isn't having a good day. Now that she has become the heir apparent to the title of Pythia, the world's chief clairvoyant, you would think things would be easier. But Cassie doesn't really want the job. Unlike other Pythia, Cassie was never trained to use the power. And besides, the job comes with strings attached. The Silver Circle of mages want to control her and so does the Vampire Senate. To top it all off, there are lots of people out there that just want to kill her. And the only thing Cassie really wants is to find Antonio, the master vampire that raised her, and now has a bounty on her head. When she learned that Tony killed her parents and trapped her father's spirit, she is looking for a little revenge. But Tony escaped from the Senate, and is hiding in Faerie, a seriously bad place to be if you aren't Fey.

The list of players in this book is long and rather intimidating. Besides Cassie and Tony, there is Mircea, the Master vampire that Cassie has known all her life. Because Mircea knew Cassie had the ability to become Pythia, he placed a geis on her at an early age. This lovely little spell was meant to ward off would-be suitors because to gain the Pythia power, you must be a virgin. But one of the unfortunate effects of the geis is an unbelievable attraction to the person that placed the spell....an attraction that goes both ways.

Then there is John Pritkin, the War Mage and the Silver Circle's Chief Assassin. Friend of foe, Cassie doesn't know. She's pretty sure that Pritkin would rather kill her than look at her, but he also needs her help for something. She just doesn't know what that something is.

Myra was supposed to be the next Pythia. She spent her life being trained by the mages to use the power, only to be passed over for Cassie. Myra is super-pissed off and would like nothing better than to see Cassie dead.

Because of all the characters, the book gets a little complicated. It takes a lot of concentration to follow all the storylines and keep up with everyone. To top it all off, you really don't know who is on the good side, and who isn't. But if you can wade through all of that, the story is a really good one. Karen Chance has created a world in which the Pythia (named for the ancient Greek clairvoyant priestess that presided over the Oracle of Apollo) has the ability to go back in time to change events. However changing an event can cause major upheaval in the future. She also gives us a look at the dark world of Faerie, that certainly isn't like Disney's version.

I really enjoyed this book. Cassie is a strong character....she is tougher than she looks and has a mind of her own. Mircea, Vlad the Impaler's brother in fact, is dark, sexy and undead. My kind of guy! Where the first book in this series sets the stage and introduced us to the characters, this book goes a lot farther. Non-stop action from page one, Claimed by Shadow is an incredible thrill-ride!! Unfortunately, not all the questions are answered, and you are just going to have to keep reading the series to find out where the everything falls in the end. If you are a lover of the paranormal, this is a great series to start. I totally recommend reading it! 4/5

Booking Through Thursday - Thankful

Today is Thanksgiving here in the U.S.

Now, you may have noticed that the global economy isn’t exactly doing well. There’s war. Starvation. All sorts of bad, scary things going on.

So–just for today–how about sharing 7 things that you’re thankful for?

This can be about books, sure–authors you appreciate, books you love, an ode to your public library–but also, how about other things, too? Because in times like these, with bills piling up and disaster seemingly lurking around every corner, it’s more important than ever to stop and take stock of the things we’re grateful for. Family. Friends. Good health (I hope). Coffee and tea. Turkey. Sunshine. Wagging tails. Curling up with a good book.

So, how about it? Spread a little positive thinking and tell the world what there is to be thankful for.


Well....this is a question that always gets asked at the Thanksgiving day table....and I always seem to say the same things every year. But I can't help it. That picture there??? Those are the 3 things I am most thankful for in the world!! I mean, honestly. I don't really think I ever thought about having kids before I got married. Not that I didn't like kids...just didn't think much about them. Then BOOM. I'm the mother of 3. Talk about life-changing events!! But I don't even remember what life was like without them. Nor do I want to. I'm so thankful they are all healthy and happy. They are a blessing and my reason for getting out of bed every day.

Other things that I am thankful for?? Family in general. My family, my husband, my in-laws. I may not always agree with them. Or even like them, for that matter. But I don't know what I would do without them.

I'm thankful I have a job. In today's horrible economy, it's something just to be employed. I may complain about the hours I'm working, but all things considered....it's better than the alternative.

I'm thankful that I have a house to live in. I work with a lady that is sleeping at a Salvation Army shelter because she lost her house to foreclosure...and doesn't have any family in the state. Breaks my heart. But makes me thankful for what I have (even if it is in a perpetual state of upheaval!)

I'm thankful for my friends. I don't see them very often. Working so much has a few serious disadvantages. But I do love them. And I know if I ever needed them, they would be here for me.

I'm thankful for my books. Sounds kind of trite with everything else I just listed. But damn. I need something to keep me sane. And a little quiet time with a good book is that island for me in the middle of the insanity I call life.

And lastly, I'm thankful for all of you!! I have come to realize what a wonderful community this really is, and I'm just thankful you all let me be a part of it!!!

So....Happy Thursday. But most importantly.....Happy Thanksgiving!!

The Sunday Salon - It's the Holiday Season!

It's been a couple of weeks since I participated in The Sunday Salon, so I thought I would post today. I can't believe it's Thanksgiving already. Where has this year gone??? Time is certainly marching on, isn't it? Since I'm working this holiday, we are not able to go home to visit my family. And my in-laws are spending Thanksgiving with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. To say that Mike and his brother don't get along is an understatement. I know it's hard on his parents, but for us it's much easier if we don't spend the holidays with them. It just makes things flow a little smoother. So it looks like I'm cooking for us this year! Normally, I don't mind. I like to cook. With me working so many hours, it would almost be easier just to order a pizza!! But I promised the girlies we would do this thing right, so it's turkey and all the trimmings for us. And they are pretty excited about it. I guess we'll give it a go.


I'm hoping to take them to see Twilight on Tuesday. I've been looking forward to it ever since I read the book. I hope it lives up to the expectations.

Another event I'm looking forward to this year is the Book Bloggers Christmas Swap. I participated last year and had a great time!! Hosted by Nymeth and Dewey, this is a chance to play "Secret Santa" with a fellow book blogger. I mean, really. How much fun is it to get presents? Last year, the wonderful Carl was my Secret Santa. He got me a wonderful book, some chocolate, but most importantly, had some trees planted in my name!! It was a very cool present, and it meant alot. By the way, it's Carl's birthday, so hop on over to his blog to wish him a great one! This year's Swap looks likes it's shaping up to be just as fun!!

Also for the holidays and the blogging community is the Blog Advent Tour. Hosted by Marg and Kailana. This is a chance to get a peek into the holidays of other bloggers. Each day, a blogger or two will post about something that is meaningful to them about the holidays. It's a great chance to find other blogs that are of interest to you....as well as getting a leg up on that ol' Christmas Spirit!! There is still time left to join in the fun!!

On the reading front, I've been pretty lax. I just haven't had the time...and I'm kind of in a slump right now. I just finished up the second book in Karen Chance's Cassandra Palmer series, Claimed by Shadow. And I'm still plodding my way slowly but surely through The Lost Diary of Don Juan (this one isn't really my thing. Interesting, but just not grabbing me). I need to find a book that really sucks me in. Any suggestions??

Anyway...that's it for me. Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!!

Booking Through Thursday - Honesty

Suggested by JM:

I receive a lot of review books, but I have never once told lies about the book just because I got a free copy of it. However, some authors seem to feel that if they send you a copy of their book for free, you should give it a positive review.

Do you think reviewers are obligated to put up a good review of a book, even if they don’t like it? Have we come to a point where reviewers *need* to put up disclaimers to (hopefully) save themselves from being harassed by unhappy authors who get negative reviews?

I could see this question coming from a mile away! After all the controversy from last week I think it's a valid question. But I have to say my answer is a resounding NO. I don't think a blogger is "required" to give a positive review just because an author sends a book.

As I've stated numerous times, when I started this blog I really didn't think anyone else would actually READ it. It was a place for me to log my reading. Kind of like an online journal. Then something weird happened. People did start reading it. I'm very honest with my reviews. If I don't like something, I state the reasons why I don't like it. But I always try to balance out the negatives with the positives. Because there are usually good things with every book I read.

Just because an author chooses to send me a book should not mean I have to be dishonest. I haven't really encountered this problem though. I tend to be pretty selective in choosing books from the numerous requests that I receive. I tend to pick books that I think I would like. Maybe that's a cop out. But if it's a subject matter that interests me, I'm already a step ahead. And I always let any author know that I will give an honest opinion. I always forward a link to the review as well.

For what it's worth, I tend to rely pretty heavily on the word of bloggers. I don't read a lot of professional reviews anymore. I follow word of mouth from the people that I know and respect. That's all of you. If we start trading our values for free books, what does that make us?? I can think of a few choice adjectives, but I don't think I'll put them in print!

Keep up the good work! I know I'm counting on all of you!!

Happy Thursday and Happy Reading!!

A Book Meme and Randomness

I was doing so well posting at the beginning of the month, and then I just seemed to taper off. I guess I really didn't have much to say!! And I've pretty much spent the last 24 hours in bed with a migraine. Sheesh. I haven't had one in awhile. I guess I forgot the sheer magnitude of them. This one was a doozy, and frankly I'm still feeling the "after shock" of it. But at least I feel slightly better. That's something, I guess.

It looks like winter is here....it's butt cold in the Midwest these days. And I'm just not ready for it. I hate the cold. I'm ready for retirement and Florida! Of course, that's a good 25 years away.....but at least it gives me something to look forward to!! For now, I just have to keep the hot chocolate flowing.

On to the meme. Both Melody and Chris tagged me for the 7 Random Bookish Things About Me meme, so here it goes.

The rules are:
Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
Share seven random and/or weird book facts about yourself.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

• I love books. OK. I guess this isn't a surprise. But I really do. I love the feel of a book in my hands. I love the smell of a new book. I love just having them around.
• When we moved to this house 12 years ago, I had one book shelf. It was filled with my small collection of books. Since that time, I have added close to 1000 books in my house. My husband had bookshelves built in our "play" room to hold them. As soon as they were finished, I still overflowed!! Now, I have about 4 huge totes filled with books stored away, on top of overflowing shelves.
• Of all the books I own, my most prized possessions are my 7 Harry Potter 1st Edition hardbacks and my almost entire 1st Edition Stephen King collection. These are books that I will NEVER part with.
• Even with all the books I own, I still frequent the library. I love the library. In the town I grew up in, we didn't have a library. So when I moved to town, my first order of business was to get a library card. Now, because of the time I spend there and all the books I request of inter-library loan, all the librarians know me by name.
• I'm seriously anal about reading books in order. There is no way I will read a book out of series order. And after being burned by a few supposedly "stand-alone" books, I won't even read authors out of date published order.
• I am married to a non-reader. They always say opposites attract, and I think that is true to a certain extent. As much as I love my husband, I really wish we had the book thing in common. I think that's one reason I turned to the internet for "book friends". And I'm totally trying to turn my kids into book people.
• I started my online journey with a membership into Oprah's book club. Think of her what you will, but she has done wonders for the reading community. Through Oprah, I have "met" a lot of wonderful people...and I still am in contact with many of them today. In fact, some of you reading this blog will fall into that category.

OK. That's it. Kind of boring, but what can I say? Still have a headache to contend with!! For tags, I'll go with:

• Marg, from Reading Adventures
• Kailana from The Written World
• Samantha from Sam's Book Blog
• Darla from Books and Other Thoughts
• S. Krishna from S. Krishna's Books
• Kim from Bold. Blue. Adventure.
• Bobbi from Bobbi's Book Nook

That's all for now!! Later!!

A Final RIP Review......

Sheesh. I'm WAY behind on reviews these days. That has never happened to me before. For the last RIP III Challenge book, I choose Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall (308 pgs, Kensington, 2008). This book was sent to me by the author for review. So, here's a big shout out of thanks to Ms. Hall!!

There are some girls that have everything. And not just the ones who are born with silver spoons in their mouths. Some girls are born with an intangible, magnetic aura: something that radiates beneath their flawless skin. You know who they are: the Cleopatras, the Marilyn Monroes. They are the present day sirens -- girls who have the power to transfix any male who comes their way. Then there are the jealous ones.

For fifteen-year-old Maddie Crane, life is a blur. Maddie should be happy. She has all the right clothes, is friends with the most popular girls in town, and is even a part of the "secret society" that everyone wants to join: The Sisters of Misery. Her mother made sure Maddie was always in the right crowds and a part of the society of Hawthorne. But Maddie has always felt like an outsider.

Then, Maddie's aunt and cousin come to live with them. Cordelia is so NOT like everyone else. She is quirky and eccentric, smart and beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that all the guys in school want to date her. And all the girls in school, especially the Sisters of Misery, hate her.

With the Gothic setting of Hawthorne, the next town over from Salem, this book has a supernatural feel to it. It is perceived by most of the town's people that Aunt Rebecca and Cousin Cordelia could be witches. They open up a flower store that sells lots of "New Age" materials. But the book itself is more about the relationships between the characters than anything supernatural.

I liked this book. And yet, I had a few problems with it. From the reviews that I've seen, the problems might be limited to me!! The Sisters of Misery are a mean, spiteful group of girls. Led by the uppity Kate Endicott, they are a group that are not only popular, but feared. Kate is just down-right evil. End of story. She is nasty to the core, and yet no one stands up to her. Peer pressure is a bitch. I agree wholeheartedly. And there is a lot of pressure on Maddie to turn her back on Cordelia. OK. Understandable. But Maddie and Cordelia become close. Almost like sisters. And yet, when times get tough, Maddie does indeed follow the crowd. She is weak.....and as you all know, that bothers me in a main character. Especially a female protagonist. Without giving away the storyline, Maddie has a chance to do the right thing, and doesn't. OK. I'm all about second chances. No one is perfect. If they were, stories would be boring!! Yet, she never does come forward in a situation that could really help Cordelia. Her weakness certainly bothered me.

And yes.....one of these days I'm going to learn to just go ahead and read the last chapter first. Maybe that way, I won't get myself sucked into a book that doesn't end!! The conclusion is anything but, and yes, it's open-ended...waiting for the sequel which is coming out in 2009. That might have been a good piece of information to have BEFORE I started the book. I don't know why I'm surprised though....this seems to be the way the pages fall these days!!

But for all that, Hall is a gifted storyteller. She has created a web of suspense that is hard to break, leaving the reader flipping pages quickly, just to find out what happens next. And her writing is really lovely. Pretty, in fact. Hall has a way of describing a scene so vividly, it's like you are actually watching it from the same room. There were a few twists and turns that really gives us more insight into the characters. Although the the story was open-ended, I was pleased that some of the threads were tied up in a way that I could live with. If this debut novel is any indication, I have a feeling we will be seeing more of this author! 4/5

Since I'm the Last Person on the Planet.....

to read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (554 pgs, Little, Brown Young Readers, 2006) I'm not even sure if I should review it!! But I guess I will give a try. Actually, the reason I picked it up at this time is because Chad told me I had to read it. His reading teacher at school had all the kids in her 7th grade class read it for AR. When the movie comes out, she's taking the class to see it. THIS was the book Chad couldn't put down!! I even went out yesterday and bought him New Moon, because he is still on the waiting list at school and he was getting frustrated. Can't have that!!

I'd never given much thought to how I would die -- though I'd had reason enough in the last few months -- but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. I stared without breathing across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back at me. Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.

When Bella made the decision to move to Forks, Washington, to live with her father, she really had no idea just how drastically her life would change. Sure, Forks, with all it's rainy darkness, was world's away from the sun of Phoenix. The school was so much smaller than her old school, Bella worried she wouldn't fit in. And yet, in a matter of days, she seems to be the object of obsession for most of the guys in town. And she makes friends quickly. This should be a good thing, right??

But Bella isn't interested in the boys in her school. Except for one. She is unusually drawn to Edward Cullen, one the "beautiful" people. Edward and his "family" are rich, beautiful....and dangerous. You see, they are a family of vampires.

When I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer, I was completely blown away. I still contend it is probably the best book I've read all year. Maybe it's a timing thing. I know a lot of people preferred the Twilight series. And while I highly enjoyed this book, I still think The Host was better.

Meyer has a way of completely sucking you into the stories she writes. I had a hard time putting this book down, even though it was rather slow getting to the "action", so to speak. The majority of this book is spent on getting to know the characters. We learn....slowly....WHAT Edward is. Meyer's gives us a different take of vampire legends. Edward and his family have a conscious. They don't hunt people, even though most of their kind does.

I really liked Edward and his vampire family. I liked learning their history and why they made the choices they did and live the way they do. And when the conflict (FINALLY) presents itself, I like how they band together to resolve it.

My biggest complaint about the book turns out the to be "human" factor....Bella. At first, I liked her. She's different than most teenage girls. She's not scared of Edward...even though she should be. She's curious. But she takes too many chances, and puts people she loves at risk. And she's whiny. EXTREMELY whiny. By the end of the book, I wanted to throttle her. Her "Don't Leave Me" mantra was almost more than I could take. I love a strong female protagonist. And Bella started out that way....but by the end of the book, she was clingy, whiny and so controlled that it almost ruined my enjoyment of the book.

I can see why Twilight is so popular, especially for the younger set. It's the ultimate "forever and ever" love story. It's heartwarming to see soul mates find each other. However, I'm not sure this one will have that fairy tale ending. I don't really see how it can work. But it gives a person hope. And for all my criticisms, I DID enjoy the book. I just hope I want to smack Bella less in the next one! 4/5

Booking Through Thursday - Presents!

What, if any, memorable or special book have you ever gotten as a present? Birthday or otherwise. What made it so notable? The person who gave it? The book itself? The “gift aura?”

Oh....this is an easy question!! My husband is not a reader. I think that is probably the reason that he never thinks to get me books for my birthday. Not that he ever really buys me practical things....he just doesn't think about books when it comes time to buy me something. On the other hand, my kids know me all too well. And they certainly know my favorite authors. A few years back, when Stephen King was releasing the remaining books in the Dark Tower series, I fell behind on getting them myself. I try not to spend a lot of money on myself, and books seem an unnecessary indulgent when times have been so tight. But Chad, my sweet oldest child, decided he wanted to do something special for my birthday. He talked my father-in-law into taking him to Barnes & Noble. He spent his own money and bought me Song of Susannah in the hardback edition (because those are the books I collect). The day before my birthday, he told me he wanted Grandpa to drive him to school because he had to go early. He said he had to study with his friend for a test and was to meet him there early. Silly me. I believed him. So....I told him it would be easier for him to spend the night at Grandpa's and I'd just take the girls. At 8 that morning, as I was getting the girls ready to go, the doorbell rang. There on my front step, grinning from ear to ear was Chad.....holding a wrapped present and a dozen red roses (again...paid for with his own money) for me. Sheesh...I'm crying just thinking about it, so imagine how I reacted that morning.

Last year for my birthday, the whole crew decided to get into the act. Clive Barker had just released Mister B. Gone (another favorite author of mine). Ana, my youngest, didn't have any money to contribute. So Grandpa gave her some "jobs" to do around the house and paid her for them. Which she in turn gave back to help pay for my book. Again....I ended up in tears. God, I love those kids!!

Any memorable gifts that you can think of??

Randomness

My nephews were over the other day. They are 17 and 15....and my 12-year-old son idolizes them. He always wants them around, and he always wants to hang out with them, playing mind-numbing video games.

And then there was this exchange:

Nephew: "You know. I really wanted to smack Chad just now".

Me: "Hmmm....what's the problem?? What did he do now?"

Nephew: "I was trying to get him to play Call of Duty 4 with me. And he told me no. He said he would rather go to his room and finish his book. It was getting good! WHY would he rather READ?"

Me: "That's my Boy!!"

Did you?

I can feel change on the horizon!! I voted....DID YOU???

The Sunday Salon - RIP III Wrap-Up

Now that it's all over, I'm sad. I love Halloween. And we had a beautiful one!! We had a spell of cold last week where it was in the 30's. But Halloween night it was in the upper 60's. The girlie's had a ball....and hauled home enough candy to last until the next millennium!!

But what is really sad to me is the end of the RIP III Reading Challenge. I love reading about things that go bump in the night. The eerie, the spooky, the gloomy and the Gothic....those are the types of books that have been my favorites since Jr. high. This year alone I have read lots of paranormal. Way more than I usually do. The only downside is that most of the paranormal books I have read are parts of a series, and now I have committed myself to actually finishing the series!!

For the challenge, I read 9 Books, thus completing my choice of Peril the First (and then some!)

• Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau and Micheal Scott
• The Bleeding Dusk: Book 3 of the Gardella Vampire Series by Colleen Gleason
• Untamed: A House of Night Novel by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
• When Twilight Burns: Book 4 of the Gardella Vampire Series by Colleen Gleason
• Glass Houses: The Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine
• Dead Girls' Dance: The Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine
• Touch the Dark by Karen Chance
• Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
• And finally, The Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall (with a review pending).

I honestly loved each of the books I read. All were really good. Chalk up another fantastic Challenge for Carl!! Many Thanks to you for hosting my favorite challenge again this year!! I'm already compiling a list for RIP IV!

Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!!

The Perfect End to the RIP Season.....

I haven't read Bradbury since High School. And for some reason, my memory of his writing is pretty sketchy. Maybe it has something to do with all the brain cells I probably killed off in college. Or maybe I just didn't appreciate it back then. It's probably the brain cell thing, though. But whatever the reason, I don't think I will soon forget reading Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (293 pgs, Avon, 1962).

One strange wild dark year, Halloween came early. One year, Halloween came on October 24, three hours after midnight.

For two young boys, the appearance of a mysterious carnival in town in October, was amazing. Green Town, Illinois, was normally such a boring place to live. But on a windswept October evening, Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show steals into town under the cover of darkness and changes their lives forever.

Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade were almost 14. They were next door neighbors and the best of friends. Born 2 minutes apart, one of them at 1 minute till midnight on October 30th, and the other 1 minute after, on Halloween night. They were the perfect companions: opposite sides of the coin, so to speak. Will was the light side, and Jim definitely the dark side. And yet, they complimented each other perfectly.

On that fateful October night, a Lightning Rod salesman stops by the boys' homes looking to sell his wares. Foretelling a great storm on the horizon, the salesman says that one of their homes is going to be hit by it. He can feel it in his bones. So he leaves a lightning rod for Jim, telling him that he needs it on his roof for protection.

Little did the boys know that the storm that was coming was by way of the Cooger & Dark show......

This book, written oh so many years ago, is a classic for many reasons. Named from the infamous Shakespearean line from Macbeth: By the Pricking of my Thumbs, Something Wicked This way Comes, this book is basically your good vs. evil story personified. And yet, there is so much more to it than just that. On the "good" side, we find Jim, Will, and Will's father, Charles Halloway. Charles and Will were never close. Charles feels he is too old to be a father. In fact, he was over 40 when Will was born. But when Will and Jim find themselves in deep trouble, Charles steps up and fast becomes the hero he was always meant to be. Ordinary people....taking on extraordinary beings.

On the "evil" side, is Mr, Dark, and his band of freaks from the carnival. G. M. Dark is the "Illustrated" man, carrying a tattoo of each person whose soul he has taken for the Carnival. But, as always, the side of evil offers up something that everyone wants: A chance to change their age. The temptation of being older is an incredible pull for young boys. As is the chance to be young again for anyone middle aged. And temptation is the name of the game in this book.

One scene that left me literally with chills up my spine, was one in which the Carnival people were looking for the boys. As Mr. Dark encounters Charles Halloway for the first time, he questions him about knowing 2 boys in town. On the palm of each hand is a picture of the boys, tattooed there....souls he is trying to steal. For some reason, that image, of the tattooed pictures on his hands, just left me cold. That's the way this book is. Nothing bloody or gory. And yet, so incredibly frightening. The power of suggestion is a amazing tool, and Bradbury uses it liberally throughout this book.

And Bradbury's writing is something to behold. It is lyrical and almost hypnotic. One paragraph that caught my attention was about Charles. He is constantly worried about his age and time, especially with regards to Will:

His wife smiled in her sleep. Why? She's immortal. She has a son. Your son, too! But what father ever really believes it? He carries no burden, he feels no pain. What man, like woman, lies down in darkness and gets up with child? The gentle, smiling ones own the good secret. Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and binds eternity. They live inside the gift, know power, accept, and need not mention it. Why speak of of Time when you are Time, and shape the universal, as the pass into warmth and action?

This is a book everyone should read. Wonderful and frightening. If carnivals and freak shows didn't already give me the creeps, this book has definitely altered my image of them. I will never look at a carousel the same way again!! 4.5/5